Magazine for packaged integrated circuits

ABSTRACT

An IC magazine with retractable stop pins at both ends of the IC magazine. An IC magazine with retractable stop pins on both ends of the IC magazine. The retractable stop pins project into the magazine slot through an opening from a cavity in the base of the IC magazine. The long segment of an L-shaped push rod projects through an opening from the cavity through the magazine rail. The short segment of the L-shaped push rod is coupled to the bottom of the retractable stop pin inside the cavity. A spring inside the cavity between the underside of the short segment and the bottom of the cavity holds the retractable stop pin in an up position. An IC magazine with retractable stop pins at both ends of the IC magazine. The retractable stop pins project into the magazine slot through an opening from a cavity in the base of the IC magazine. A stop collar surrounding the retractable stop pin inside the cavity. A spring inside the cavity that pushes up on the underside of the stop collar and pushes down on the bottom of the cavity.

FIELD

This disclosure relates to the field of integrated circuits. Moreparticularly, this disclosure relates to an improved magazine holder forpackaged integrated circuits.

BACKGROUND

Integrated circuit (IC) magazines such as are illustrated in FIGS. 1A,1B, and 1C are used to store and transport packaged ICs during testingand packaging.

FIG. 1A is a top down view of a conventional integrated circuit magazine100. The integrated circuit magazine 100 is a tray with magazine slots108 that accommodate packaged ICs 114. The magazine slots 108 liebetween magazine rails 108.

FIG. 1B shows the open end of a conventional IC magazine 100. PackagedIC's 114 may be inserted into the magazine slots 108 at the open end ofthe IC magazine 100.

A cross sectional view of the open end of the conventional IC magazine100 is depicted in FIG. 2. The cross section shows magazine slots 108between magazine rails 110. A packaged IC 114 is shown in one of themagazine slots 108.

FIG. 1C shows the closed end of a conventional IC magazine 100. A stoppin 112 formed in the middle of the magazine slot 108 at the closed endto keep the packaged ICs 114 from falling out of the IC magazine istypical.

A cross sectional view of the closed end of the conventional IC magazine100 is depicted in FIG. 3. The cross section shows magazine slots 108between magazine rails 110. The stop pin 112 in the middle of themagazine slot 108 prevents packaged ICs from falling out of the closedend. A packaged IC 114 which is blocked by the stop pin 112 is shown inone of the magazine slots 108.

IC chips typically are loaded into conventional IC magazines after theyhave been molded into a dual inline package (DIP). The DIPs may then betransported in the IC magazine to testing equipment to verifyfunctionality. The testing equipment typically unloads the DIPs from theIC magazine, plugs them into an IC socket, and tests them. After testingthe DIPs are typically loaded back into the IC magazine and transportedto another machine which packages the DIPs for use in automated pick andplace circuit board manufacturing equipment. For example, the ICmagazine may be inserted into a tape and reel packaging machine whichattaches the packaged ICs to reels of tape which are used in automatedcircuit board manufacturing equipment.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basicunderstanding of one or more aspects of the invention. This summary isnot an extensive overview of the invention, and is neither intended toidentify key or critical elements of the invention, nor to delineate thescope thereof. Rather, the primary purpose of the summary is to presentsome concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to amore detailed description that is presented later.

An IC magazine with retractable stop pins at both ends of the ICmagazine. An IC magazine with retractable stop pins on both ends of theIC magazine. The retractable stop pins project into the magazine slotthrough an opening from a cavity in the base of the IC magazine. Thelong segment of an L-shaped push rod projects through an opening fromthe cavity through the magazine rail. The short segment of the L-shapedpush rod is coupled to the bottom of the retractable stop pin inside thecavity. A spring inside the cavity between the underside of the shortsegment and the bottom of the cavity holds the retractable stop pin inan up position. An IC magazine with retractable stop pins at both endsof the IC magazine. The retractable stop pins project into the magazineslot through an opening from a cavity in the base of the IC magazine. Astop collar surrounding the retractable stop pin inside the cavity. Aspring inside the cavity that pushes up on the underside of the stopcollar and pushes down on the bottom of the cavity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C (Prior art) are a plan view of an IC magazine.

FIG. 2 (Prior art) is a cross sectional view of the open end of an ICmagazine.

FIG. 3 (Prior art) is a cross sectional view of the end of an ICmagazine with a stop pin.

FIGS. 4 & 5 (Prior art) are plan views of packaged integrated circuitsin an IC magazine.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an IC magazine with retractable stop pinsformed according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are cross sections of retractable stop pins formedaccording to embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a cross section of retractable stop pins formed according toan embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the disclosure are described with reference to theattached figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and they areprovided merely to illustrate the disclosure. Several aspects of theembodiments are described below with reference to example applicationsfor illustration. It should be understood that numerous specificdetails, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide anunderstanding of the disclosure. One skilled in the relevant art,however, will readily recognize that the disclosure can be practicedwithout one or more of the specific details or with other methods. Inother instances, well-known structures or operations are not shown indetail to avoid obscuring the disclosure. The embodiments are notlimited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events, as some acts mayoccur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events.Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required toimplement a methodology in accordance with the present disclosure.

One problem that arises when using conventional IC magazines isillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The dot 118 on top of the DIP 114indicates the position of pin 1. As is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 theDIP 114 may have two orientations in the IC magazine 100. In FIG. 4 theend of the DIP 114 with pin 1 is closest to the stop pin 112 whereas inFIG. 5 the end of the DIP with pin 1 is farthest away from the stop pin112.

Frequently the DIPs 114 are not in the orientation required by theelectronic testing equipment or the tape and reel machine or some otherDIP packaging machine. When this occurs typically an empty IC magazineis manually placed end-to-end with the full IC magazine and the DIPs 114are transferred from the full IC magazine to the empty one usinggravity. This transfer adds time to the operation and typically resultsin a several percent yield loss due to DIPs being damaged during theextra handling.

An IC magazine with embodiment retractable stop pins 130 at both ends ofthe IC magazine 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 7A is a cross section of an embodiment retractable stop pin 130. Inthis embodiment a rectangular cavity 144 with one opening through thebottom of the magazine slot 108 and a second opening through themagazine rail 110 is formed in the base of the IC magazine 100. Theembodiment retractable stop pin 130 protrudes through the opening fromthe cavity 144 through the magazine slot 108. Inside the cavity 144 theshort segment of an L-shaped push rod 132 is connected to the bottom ofthe retractable stop pin 130. The long segment of the L-shaped push rod132 protrudes through the opening from the cavity 144 through themagazine rail 110.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B (left side) a spring 134 between theunderside of the short segment of the L-shaped push rod 132 and thebottom of the cavity 144 applies upward pressure to the L-shaped pushrod 132/retractable stop pin 130 assembly to keep the retractable stoppin 130 in an up position when required to keep the DIPs 114 in the ICmagazine 100.

As shown in FIG. 7B (right side) downward pressure may be applied to thetop of the long segment of L-shaped push rod 132 to depress the spring134 and force the retractable stop pin 130 into a down position. Withthe retractable stop pin 130 in a down position, the DIPs 114 may bereadily removed from the IC magazine 100.

As is illustrated in FIG. 6, embodiment retractable stop pins 130 may bebuilt into both ends of the IC magazine 100, making the IC magazine 100symmetrical. This enables DIPs 114 to be loaded into and loaded out ofthe IC magazine 100 from either end. With the embodiment stop pins 130on both ends of the IC magazine, transfer of DIPs from one IC magazineto another to properly orient pin 1 is no longer needed. In addition toreducing scrap, this embodiment also reduces cycle time by eliminatingthe IC magazine-to-IC magazine transfer step.

One method of forming retractable stop pins at both ends of the ICmagazine is illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Other retractable stop pindesigns are possible. For example, as is illustrated in FIG. 8 (leftside), a retractable stop pin 140 with a magnet 142 in the bottom may beformed. A cavity 148 is formed in the base of the IC magazine 100 underthe magazine slot 108 with an opening from the cavity 148 through themagazine slot 108. The retractable stop pin 140 with a stop collar 144which surrounds the retractable stop pin 140 projects from the cavity148 through the opening. In the up position the stop collar 144 contactsthe top of the cavity 148. The retractable stop pin 140 may be held inthe up position by a spring 134 which surrounds the bottom of theretractable stop pin 140 below the stop collar 144. The spring 134pushes up against the stop collar 144 and down against the bottom of thecavity 148 to hold the retractable stop pin 140 in place.

As shown in FIG. 8 (right side) an electromagnet 146 may be turned onbelow the retractable stop pin 140 to cause spring 134 to compress andretract into a down position so the DIPs 114 may be removed from the ICmagazine 100.

While various embodiments of the present disclosure have been describedabove, it should be understood that they have been presented by way ofexample only and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosedembodiments can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the breadthand scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of theabove described embodiments. Rather, the scope of the disclosure shouldbe defined in accordance with the following claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated circuit (IC) magazine, comprising:a first retractable stop pin at a first end of the IC magazine; a secondretractable stop pin at a second end of the IC magazine; a magazine slotand a magazine rail in the IC magazine; a cavity in the IC magazine atthe first end and aligned with the magazine slot and the magazine rail;a first opening from the cavity through the magazine slot with the firstretractable stop pin projecting from the cavity through the firstopening; a second opening from the cavity through the magazine rail witha long segment of a push rod projecting from the cavity through thesecond opening; a short segment of the push rod coupled to the firstretractable stop pin inside the cavity; and a spring between a side ofthe cavity and the short segment.
 2. The IC magazine of claim 1, furthercomprising: a stop collar surrounding a portion of the first retractablestop pin inside the cavity and in contact with the spring.
 3. The ICmagazine of claim 2, wherein the first retractable stop pin and thesecond retractable stop pin include a magnetic material.
 4. The ICmagazine of claim 2, wherein the first retractable stop pin and thesecond retractable stop pin includes a magnet inside a side of the eachof the first retractable stop pin and the second retractable stop pin.5. The IC magazine of claim 1, wherein the push rod includes an L-shapewith the long segment and the short segment.
 6. An integrated circuit(IC) magazine, comprising: a magazine slot and a magazine rail in the ICmagazine; a first cavity in the IC magazine at a first end of the ICmagazine; a first opening from the first cavity and where a portion ofthe first retractable stop pin projects from the first cavity throughthe first opening; a second opening from the first cavity through themagazine rail and where a portion of a first long segment of a firstL-shaped push rod projects from the first cavity through the secondopening; a first short segment of the first L-shaped push rod is coupledto the first retractable stop pin inside the first cavity; a firstspring between the first cavity and the first short segment; a secondcavity in the IC magazine at a second end of the IC magazine; a thirdopening from the second cavity of the magazine slot and where a portionof a second retractable stop pin projects from the second cavity throughthe third opening; a fourth opening from the second cavity through themagazine rail and where a portion of a second long segment of a secondL-shaped push rod projects from the second cavity through the fourthopening; a second short segment of the second L-shaped push rod coupledto the second retractable stop pin inside the second cavity; and asecond spring between the second cavity and the second short segment. 7.An integrated circuit (IC) magazine, comprising: a magazine slot and amagazine rail in the IC magazine; a first cavity in the IC magazine at afirst end of the IC magazine; a first opening from the first cavity andwhere a portion of the first retractable stop pin projects from thefirst cavity through the first opening; a first stop collar surroundingthe first retractable stop pin inside the first cavity; a first springsurrounding a portion of the first retractable stop pin and contactingthe first stop collar and the first cavity; a second cavity in the ICmagazine at a second end of the IC magazine and aligned with themagazine slot; a second opening from the second cavity through themagazine slot and where a portion of a second retractable stop pinprojects from the second cavity through the second opening; a secondstop collar surrounding the second retractable stop pin inside thesecond cavity; a second spring surrounding a portion of the secondretractable stop pin and contacting the second stop collar and thesecond cavity.
 8. The IC magazine of claim 7, wherein the first and thesecond retractable stop pins include a magnetic material.
 9. The ICmagazine of claim 7, wherein the first and the second retractable stoppins include a first magnet inside the first retractable stop pin and asecond magnet inside the second retractable stop pin.
 10. The ICmagazine of claim 9, wherein the first magnet and the second magnet areinside bottom portions of the first retractable stop pin and secondretractable stop pin respectively.
 11. The IC magazine of claim 7,wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are connected to themagazine slot by the first opening and the second opening respectively.12. The IC magazine of claim 6, wherein the first cavity and the secondcavity are in a base of the IC magazine aligned with the magazine slotand the magazine rail.
 13. The IC magazine of claim 6, wherein the firstopening connects the cavity and the magazine slot.